State govt plans to take over Jessop, Dunlop

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said the state government had planned to take over the closed companies Jessop and Dunlop India Limited.

Banerjee said, “We have decided to take over both Dunlop India Limited and Jessop. Steps will be taken in this connection and a bill will also be brought.”

Later Partha Chatterjee, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said there would be a meeting of the Business Advisory committee on Saturday morning in this regard.

It may be recalled that the companies are at present owned by the Ruiya Group. Both the manufacturing units are close for the past few years.

It may be recalled that the state government had no other alternative. The reason being Pawan Ruiya the gorup’s chief had not co-operated with the state government and valuables from the century-old factories are getting stolen every day. At the same time the labourers are also suffering for several years.

The state government has the provision to take over the factories.

After taking over the companies the government can reconstruct it but the liabilities had to be taken care of.

In 2003, the Ruiya’s had taken over both Jessop and Dunlop India Limited. Jessop was earlier a Central government-run unit and Ruiya had taken over Dunlop India Limited from the Chaabria’s. Ruiya’s had initially tried to run the factory. But later the attempt fell flat.

Breen and Company that was set up in 1788 came to be known as Jessop and Company after William Jessop took it over on behalf of Butterley Company of Derbyshire.

The company with the manufacturing unit on 63 acres land at Dum Dum was a manufacturer of cranes and railway wagons. Central government had taken over the company in 1973.

Similarly, Dunlop was the producer of tyres for the Indian Defence. But with the passage of time and labour unrest during the erstwhile Left Front government the bluechip companies were forced to down shutters.

After coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had tried her level best to reopen the factories and meetings with the Ruiya’s and the state government took place several times.

The Ruiya’s had assured reopening of factories in 2014 which they finally did not.

Meanwhile, it has also been decided in the cabinet meeting that there will be 10 per cent reservation for para-teachers.

Another decision that has been taken in today’s meeting was allotment of 6 cottah land in Rajarhat to a Roman Catholic organisation to set up its guest house for 99 year lease against Rs 25 lakh.